The entire history of ESDN Conferences can be found below in the Conference Archive. Simply click on one of the orange buttons below.
Conferences are the ESDN's flagship event. They take place each year on topical issues facing Europe when it comes to sustainable development. Since 2015 and the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the ESDN has focused on this as a driving force behind its work in fostering exchange, peer learning, trust, and so much more to further the goal of successful implementation and fulfilment of the SDGs.
A photo gallery of ESDN Conferences from the past few years can also be found below, as well as an archive of all Confereces over the ESDN's long history dealing with sustainable development issues.
ESDN Conference 2026 (02 October 2026)
On 02 October in Dublin, the ESDN Conference 2026 set out to answer that question under the timely theme: "Environmental Security in Europe: Building the Foundations of Long-Term Resilience."
Hosted in cooperation with the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, and recognised as an Associated Event of the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU 2026, the day delivered far more than speeches — it delivered perspectives.
Our keynote speakers set the scene on two fronts: environment and security in an unstable world, and the beyond-2030 discussions that will be a defining theme for the ESDN heading into 2027.
But the heart of the day was the Exchange Spaces — 18 rotating topic tables where participants didn't just listen, they traded experiences: just transition, circular economy, citizen and stakeholder engagement, biodiversity, environment, and climate. From Ireland's Just Transition Commission to Spain's 2030 Agenda strategy, Wales' Future Generations Act to Romania's circular economy digital tools and many more.
What's next?
→ Conference presentations will be available shortly below.
→ An ESDN Policy Note synthesising the day's inputs, ideas and examples will be published in the coming weeks — keep your eyes peeled and check back on the website here
Welcome and Opening
Friday, 02 October 2026
ESDN Opening
Elisabeth Freytag-Rigler, ESDN President, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management, Austria
Host Welcome
Marc Kierans, Director, EU & International | Environment & Circular Economy, Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, Ireland
Session 1: How can multilateral environment and climate policy succeed in building resilience and support peace and security during turbulent times
Keynote
David Donoghue, Former Irish Ambassador to the UN and co-facilitator for the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda, Ireland
The Environmental Crisis as a Shared European Security Risk
Emma Hakala, Leading Researcher, Finnish Institute of International Affairs, Finland (online)
Building Europe’s Resilience in an Unstable World
Serafin Groebner, Seconded National Expert - Circular Economy, European Environment Agency, Denmark
Panel Discussion
Exchange Space 1: Building the Foundations for Long-Term Resilience
Topic 1: Just and Green Transition
Table 1: Beyond Emissions: Delivering Climate Action through a Just Transition Lens
Ali Sheridan, Chair, Just Transition Commission, Ireland
Table 2: Spain – National Strategy for Sustainable Development
Alba Villamor, Deputy Assistant Director, Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and 2030 Agenda, Spain
Table 3: Wales – Just Transition Framework
Robert Morgan, Head of Decarbonisation, Welsh Government - Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability, Wales
Topic 2: Circular Economy
Table 4: Ireland’s Circular Economy Strategy
Bernie Kiely, Principal Officer - Circular Economy Division, Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, Ireland
Table 5: Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform
Maria Nikolopoulou, President – Sustainable Development Observatory, European Economic and Social Committee, Spain
Topic 3: Citizen & Stakeholder Engagement
Table 6: The most sustainable way of building engagement - Should it be from the ground up or top down?
Niall McGuirk, Coordinator, Coalition 2030, Ireland
Table 7: ESDN Youth Workshop 2026 & Resilience 2.0
Pedro Sereno, ESDN Youth Representative, Portugal & Martina Doubková, ESDN Youth Member, Czechia
Topic 4: Environment , Climate, and Biodiversity
Table 8: "There Is No One-Size-Fits-All Approach": Using Behavioural Insights to Shape Climate and Environmental Communications
Mary Frances Rochford, Programme Manager, Environmental Protection Agency, Ireland
Table 9: Climate action as a litmus test: Will the climate crisis strengthen or challenge democracy?
Florian Eywo, Policy Officer, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management, Austria & Katja Hummer, ESDN Advisory Board Member, Policy Officer, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management, Austria
Exchange Space 2: Building the Foundations for Long-Term Resilience
Topic 1: Just and Green Transition
Table 1: Just Transition in Agriculture and Land Use
Niamh Garvey, Senior Policy Analyst, National Economic and Social Council (NESC), Ireland
Table 2: Nordic Toolbox for a Just Green Transition
Maja Brynteson, Research Fellow, Nordregio, Sweden & Axel Eriksson, Communications Advisor, Nordregio, Sweden
Table 3: Renewable Energy & Climate Adaptation from SDGs to beyond 2030, Resilience and Energy Independence
David Perejil, Director-General for the 2030 Agenda, Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and 2030 Agenda, Spain
Topic 2: Circular Economy
Table 4: Implementing Romania's Circular Economy Strategy: Governance, Monitoring and Digital Tools
Ileana Luminița Bălălău, ESDN Advisory Board Member and Director, Prime Minister’s Office - Department of Sustainable Development, Romania
Table 5: North Rhine-Westphalia Circular Economy Strategy
Julian Lauten-Weiss, Circular Economy Expert, Ministry of the Environment, Nature and Transport of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Topic 3: Citizen & Stakeholder Engagement
Table 6: ESDN Youth Workshop 2026 & Resilience 2.0
Daniel Wood, ESDN Youth Network Representative, Wales & Filip Lepieš, ESDN Youth Network Member, Slovakia & Jorina Kaminski, ESDN Youth Network Member, Switzerland
Table 7: Our Future, Our Voice: Putting Citizens at the Heart of the Future Generations Act
Jenny McConnel, Sustainable Development Advisor, Office of the Future Generations Commissioner of Wales, Wales
Topic 4: Environment , Climate, and Biodiversity
Table 8: Building Resilience in an Irish Context
Stephen Flood, Resilience Team Lead, Irish Climate Change Advisory Council, Ireland
Table 9: Connecting Climate, Nature and Communities - Building solutions together
John Barimo, Manager, SDSN Ireland, Ireland
Moderated Discussion: Expectations for the SDG Summit 2027 on Post 2030
Anna Pot, ESDN Vice President, National SDG Coordinator, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Netherlands
Maria Nikolopoulou, President – Sustainable Development Observatory, European Economic and Social Committee, Spain
Jorina Kaminski, ESDN Youth Network Member, Switzerland
Antoine Stevens, ESDN Advisory Board Member, International Relations Attaché, Federal Institute for Sustainable Development, Belgium
David Perejil, Director-General for the 2030 Agenda, Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and 2030 Agenda, Spain
